Method for producing shirred food casings

ABSTRACT

Shirring and compression of food casings are accomplished on a multimandrel machine having common drive and control systems for a plurality of casing strands, the steps of shirring, compacting and severing being performed on each mandrel independent of action on each other mandrel despite common drive mechanism. Provision is made for detecting and remedying discontinuities in casing material supplied to each mandrel and automatic systems reject casing lengths deviating form a predetermined standard.

United States Patent Walter V. Marhach Palos Heights;

Victor K. Naudzius, Chicago; Edward S. Sherman, Palos Heights, all of, III.

Oct. 22, [969 Division ofSer. No. 661.689. Aug. 18, 1967, Pat. No. 3.503.093

Aug. [0, I97] Union Carbide Corporation [72] Inventors [2|] ApplrNo. [22] Filed [45] Patented {73] Assignee [54] METHOD FOR PRODUCING SHIRIIED FOOD CASINGS 2 Claims, 40 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 17/49, T7142 [5|] [nLCI A221 l3/00 [50] FieldolSearch l7/42,49, 45

[56) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,l84 786 5/1965 lves.., ,v r, l7/49 3,209,398 ltJ/l965 Zmlko l7/42 3,454,981 7/1969 Martinek 17/42 Primary Exammer Lucie H. Laudenslager Attorneys -Pau| A Rose and John F Hohmann ABSTRACT: Shirring and compression of food casings are accomplished on a multimandrcl machine having common drive and control systems for a plurality of casing strands, the steps of shirring, compacting and severing being performed on each mandrel independent of action on each other mandrel despite common drive mechanism Provision is made for detecting and remedying dleLHflllIlUlUBS in casing material supplied to eaelt mandrel and automatic systems reject casing lengths deviating form a predetermined standard.

Patented Aug. 10, 1971 3,597,791

1'! Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS HALTER 'v'. MARBACH VICTOR K. NAUDZIUS ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 10, 1971 1'? Shocks-Shoot 2 INVENTORS WALTER V. MARBACH VICTOR K. NAUDZIUS RD S. SZERMAN ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 10, 1971 17 Shuts-Shut 3 mO mOwmwmmioo 0Z m 0 INVENTORS WALTER V MARBACH VICTOR K. NAUDZIUS RD S. ,S ERMAN ATTORNEY 17 Sheets-Sheet 4 I8 20\ h g INVENTORS HALTER V. HARBACH VICTOR K. NAUDZIUS ARD 5., 2mm 1' ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 10, 1971 3,597,791

17 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTORS WALTER V. MARBACH VICTOR K. NAUDZIUS ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 10, 1971 3,597,791

1'! Shoal-Shut 6 INVENTORS WALTER V. HARBACH VICTOR K. NAUDZIUS m s. s

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 10, 1971 3,597,791

17 Shanta-Shoot 1' VICTOR x. munzws EDWARD s. 5 mm ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 10, 1971 17 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTORS WALTER V. HARBACH VICTOR K. NAUDZIUS A S RMAN ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 10, 1971 17 Shoots-Shut 9 INVENTORS WALTER V MARBACH VICTOR x. munzrus ARD s. strum ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 10, 1971 3,597,791

17 Shah-Shoot 11 TNVENTORS HALTER V. MARBACH VICTOR K. NAUDZIUS ED RD S. RHAN ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 10, 1971 3,597,791

17 Sheets-Shoot 12 INVENTORS "ALTER V. HARBACH VICTOR K. NAUDZIUS a an 5. s11 mum I ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 10, 1971 17 Shanta-Sheet 13 RMAN ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 10, 1971 1'? Shoots-Sheet 14 f m mm wQ g Patented Aug. 10, 1971 17 Sheets-Sheet 15 LHE w J mm 1 Mk fifm mmwoz I 1 30528. 1 $553 $525; fiwmm n 3353 6E8 mime $5.55 552 rilluhllwdol pmfi i I ill I 1 l l I l i l l I I I i I 22:81 -o wzimim L l l l t i l I I I1 J "I,

wzEEzw E VICTOR K. NAUDZIUS a n 4 u ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 10, I971 MASTER STOP 1'! Sheets-Shoot 16 MTR ST TER TRANSFER LS CLOSE WHEN K CLAMP OPENS K CONTROL REL. #I l POS.

P -EMERGENC STOPS p R RE T EH3? (DNTROL TRAIASFER OPENED BY CAM AT TERMINATION 0F CYCLE c CLAMP CLOSED smnn In 4-2 In 0 CLAMP CONTROL RELAY sum Pos. sum Pos. swan Pos. CLOSED RELAY -II- 36 A 4: PRACTICE on RUNTHRO'CYCLE mam Pos. #2 POS.#3PO$. "2 I BY SHIRR DRIVE CLOSE ETFL A B II F (AM Im STARTER WHEN l=2(LUT( a mug CLUTCH P A-3am; c B w CL SES 0N OPENED BY CAM HOLDBACK RET.

HOLDBACK RET. AFTER SHIRR STARTS CAM START RELAY F g F SHIRR START ws DELAY K 1 B OPEN$@HOLDBACK TIME MANDREL AIR DELAY TIMING OUT 5 50 g HOLDBACK TIME DELAY I {G} CLAMP *2 F08. #3308. OPEN RELAY KJ ADVANCE TRANSFER ADVANCE.

POSITION STOP CLU 'IILQEELAY I82 C CLAMP CLEARED POSITION STOP ARM IN TRANSFER K Ls CLOSE WHEN c CLAMP OPENS R ELAY AGE MASTER CONTROL SHIRRING DRIVE CONTROL TRANSFER CARRIAGE CONTROL INVENTORS WALTER V. MARBACH VICTOR K. NAUDZIUS EDWARD S. S ERHAN METHOD FOR PRODUCING SIIIItItED FOOD CASINOS This application is a division of application Ser. No. 661,689, filed Aug. I8, 1967, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,503,093, issued Mar. 3i, I970.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing shirring food casings. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus that combines in one operating unit means for performing and controlling the successive steps for shirring a plurality of strands of tubing into compact shirred self-sustaining pieces of predetermined length for meat casings. Such tubing may be composed of proteinaceous or carbohydrate materials such as collagen, alginate or cellulosic material such as cellulose esters, cellulose ethers and regenerated cellulose, as well as other natural, synthetic or artificial materials useful for meat casings.

The conversion of continuous flexible tubing into a succession of shined sticks of predetermined lengths suitable for sausage casings involves a series of steps that have attained a recognized status in the art. These steps include: supplying metered quantities from a continuous supply strand of tubing (now to be referred to as "casing) to a mandrel in a shirring zone; inflating the casing and shirring or pleating the inflated casing strand on the mandrel in the shirring zone; severing a predetermined shirt-ed length from the unshirred casing supply or a subsequent shirred length, transferring by advancing along the mandrel the shirred casing length to a compressing station and there compressing it in one or more steps into a durable article (commonly called a stick) of predetermined internal diameter; and doffing the compressed casing from the compression mandrel to a packing station.

Machines heretofore provided have employed independent mandrels and independent means for driving and feeding; metering and shirring; severing; transferring and compressing each casing strand thereon; and dotting the casing therefrom. Operator attendance was required for each strand so shirred to detect supply reel runout, to detect and remove tube couplers" which occur in the supply strand as later described, to thread on to the mandrel a fresh strand end, and to segregate short length casing resulting from discontinuity of the casing strand.

An object of this invention is to provide a multimandrel shirring method and apparatus that is cooperatively operated, and which has a higher rate of production and requires less operator attendance than heretofore. A further object is to produce uniform, predetermined length shirred casings from discontinuous, coupled or spliced supply sources. An additional object of the invention is to provide shirring means commonly driven and actuated, and commonly but selectively and individually controlled, in an apparatus concurrently shirring a plurality of easing strands and to provide further in such apparatus a commonly operated holdhack means, a commonly operated transfer carriage, successively actuated operating means for mandrel gripping clamps spaced along the mandrels, commonly operated compressor means and commonly operated dolfmg means for delivering the finished casing from the mandrels.

Other objects of the invention are to provide means for detecting a splice, break or other fault or discontinuity in any one of a pluraliq of easing strands before such strands are shirred on the apparatus; to provide means for segregating and discarding short length shirred casings and casing containing faults, while continuing the shining and the gathering of predetermined length shirred casings to a packing station.

The invention by means of which these objects are attained compn'ses a method and apparatus in which shirred casings are manufactured by shirring a plurality of tubings on a plurality of mandrels all under common control. The method of the invention comprises metering a predetermined length of tubing onto a mandrel, shirring the tubing on the mandrel while applying holdback force thereto for example by means of mechanisms described in Us. Pat. Nos. 2,983,949 and 3,l 10,058 as a first stage of compression, and severing the shirred first stage compressed length. Axial force is applied to the trailing end of the severed shirred length to advance it further along the mandrel and subject it to compression against a first wall of a mandrel clamp as a second stage of compression. After removal of the clamp and wall, axial force is applied to the second stage compressed tubing to advance it further along the mandrel. The clamp is replaced on the mandrel, and axial force is then applied in the reverse direction to the leading end of the advanced second stage length on the same mandrel, to further compress the second stage length against a second wall of the mandrel clamp back toward the shirring zone as a third stage of compression. The compressed length is then dofled from the mandrel.

Preferably a subsequent length of tubing is undergoing the first stage while a first length is undergoing the third stage, and a second length in undergoing the second stage. The third stage fully compressed length is doffed from the far end of the mandrel at the same time that the subsequent lengths ofcasing are concomitantly advanced from the first stage to the second stage, and from the second stage to the third stage.

The apparatus of the invention includes a plurality of floating hollow mandrels; means for supporting the mandrels and maintaining them stationary; means for selectively feeding and shirring a predetermined measured length of easing material on to any of the mandrels; means operable for the cooperative severing, transferring, and compressing of the shined casings in unison on all of the mandrels, means operable to dofi' the casings in unison from the mandrels and segregate irregular casings from finished shirred casings; the entire apparatus being adapted to be actuated cooperatively in a repetitive cycle of operations by interlocking electrical and pneumatic means thereby operating one or more of the independent shirring means and all of the cooperative transfer, compressing and doffing means.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a three mandrel shirring machine according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the principal drive elements ofthe machine of FIG. 1',

FIG. 3 is a timing diagram of the machine cycle showing the cooperative actuation of the principal components of the apparatus of FIG. 1

FIG. 4 to 12 inclusive are diagrams of successive relative positions of parts of the machine of FIG. 1 showing different steps of operation;

FIG. 13 is an elevation of the transfer device assembly of the machine of FIG. I; FIG. 14 is an elevation of the holdback assembly of the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 15 is an end elevation partially in section of one of the shirring heads of the machine of FIG. I;

FIG. 16 is an end elevation partially in section of the guide rolls of the machine of FIG. I showing the flareup sensing means;

FIG. I7 is a side elevation partially in section of the apparatus of FIG. I6;

FIG. I8 is an enlarged detail elevation partially in section of the first clamp of the machine of FIG. I in open position;

FIG. 19 is a similar view showing the clamp of FIG. 18 in closed position;

FIG. 20 is a horizontal section partially in section taken along the line 20-20 of FIG. 22 showing the master shipper arm;

FIG. 2| is an enlarged detail elevation partially in section of one of the transfer anns shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 22 is a plan view partially in section of a portion of the machine of FIG. 1 showing the final forward compression and the reverse compression of the casing against the clamp K;

FIG. 22A is an end elevation of one of the reverse compression arms shown in FIG. 22;

FIG. 23 is a side elevation of two superimposed splicing stations mounted on the machine of FIG. I;

FIG. 24 is an enlarged detail plan of one of the splicing stations of FIG. 23;

FIG. is a vertical section partially in section taken along the line 2$15 of FIG 14;

FIG. 26 is a perspective of a partial splice in the casing to be shirred;

FIG 27 is a similar view ofthe completed splice;

FIG 28 is an enlarged detail elevation of the sensing device at the feed end of the machine of FIG. I showing a tube coupler approaching the device;

FIG. 29 is an enlarged detail view partially in section through the sensing rolls of FIG. 28',

FIG. 30 is a perspective of the interfitting sensing rolls of FIG. 28;

FIG. 3] is an end elevation of the packing unit for gathering the finished casings produced by the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 32 is a plan view ofthe packing unit shown in FIG. 31;

FIG 33 is a side elevation of the packing unit shown in FIG. 3];

FIG. 34 illustrates diagrammatically the electrical circuits controlling the apparatus drive elements and operating components of the machine of FIG. 1',

FIG. 35 illustrates schematically the basic electrical circuits of the master control of the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 36 illustrates schematically the basic electrical circuits of shirring drive control of the machine of FIG. I;

FIG. 37 illustrates schematically the basic electrical circuits of the transfer carriage control of the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 38 illustrates diagrammatically the electrical circuits of the memory units of the machine of FIG. I for short length segregation;

FIG. 39 is an enlarged detail of a diagram of the electrical circuit of a typical memory unit as shown in FIG. 38.

For convenience in describing the invention, reference will be made to apparatus having three shirring mandrels arranged in three shirring positions, but it is to be understood that there may be more or fewer mandrels. As the same operations occur on each mandrel, for conciseness and clarity, the invention Will be described generally with reference to the operations on but one mandrel.

In the method of the invention flattened tubing is led from a supply reel through fault detecting means to metering and feeding rolls onto a stationary hollow mandrel on which the operations of shirring, severing, compressing and dofl'ing are accomplished by mechanisms to be described with particular reference to the apparatus of the invention. Air to inflate the tubing and assist in centering and advancing it along the mandrel is supplied to themandrel's fore end through means in one of a plurality of spaced mandrel clamps. The clamps are adapted to maintain the mandrel in a stationary position. One clamp provides an abutment for compressing the shirred casing between the clamp and compressing means. The hollow mandrel is adapted to support the casing lengths in the three stages of shirring and compression, and the final compression (stage three) takes place on a portion of the mandrel extended rearwardly of the second clamp. The machine has an arrange ment for momentarily increasing the pressure of easing inflating air from about 6 p.s.i. normally used to about 18 p.s.i. to

stiffen and advance the inflated tubing thereby enabling the shining means to effectively grip and pleat the casing at startup.

A predetermined length of casing is shirred by means well known in the art, and is advanced from the zone of shirring along the mandrel as it is shirred against a retracting surface mounted on a holdback carriage. After the desired length of casing has been shirred, as the first stage, the feed rolls and the shirring means are stopped. A shirring carriage mounting the shirring means is then retracted from the shirred casing.

A pair of jaws mounted on a transfer carriage engage to encircle the mandrel and grip the unshirred tubing adjacent the shirred casings tailing end. The transfer carriage is then advanced and the jaws sever the shirred length from unshirred casing allowing the shirred casing to be advanced along the mandrel through the opened first clamp and to compress the trailing end of the shirred casing against the front of the second mandrel clamp as the second stage.

The first clamp is then closed, the shirring carriage is advanced to the zone of the shirring and shirring of the next casing length begins. Later in the cycle. the second clamp is opened and the transfer carriage advances the second stage casing to the mandrel extension The transfer jaws arc disengaged from the mandrel and the transfer carnage is retracted to the shirring zone to sever the justshtrred length of casing. The second stage casing now on the mandrel extension, is compressed rearwardly against the second clamp as the third stage by jaws on an arm adapted to cooperate concurrently with the compression of the second stage lengthv The second clamp opens and an arm (hereafter referred to as a shipper arm") engages the mandrel intermediate the second and third stage lengths. Concurrently as the transfer carriage advances the second stage length, the shipper arm advances the third stage length to dofi' it from the mandrel extension to a receiv ing bin for packing the finished casings.

Means for detecting faults in the casing are provided at the feed end of the machine. As the strand of casing is unwound from the supply reel, randomly occurring irregularities such as rubber tube couplers or discontinuities and "flareups" (hereinafter defined) in the strand are advanced toward the surfaces of mating sensing rollers mounted between the supply reel and the feed rolls. When a casing fault displaces the upper pivotally mounted sensing roller from the normal operating position, such displacement actuates an electric switch that trips the first stage of a five-cam memory switch. disengages the clutch driving the feed roll and shirring head, energizes the feed roll brake, and signals the event.

On an occasion when the length of the inflated casing that is advancing intermediate the metering rolls and the shirring means become greater than the shortest distance therebetween, the casing becomes displaced from true align ment with the shirring passage. If such misalignment becomes extreme, it usually causes a tangle or wrapping of casing about the metering rolls and thereby interrupts the desired shirring of the casing. Such a tangle is commonly referred to as a flareup." Photoelectric sensing means are used to anticipate the degree of misalignment that normally would cause a flareup and said photoelectric means operates through a relay to halt production before damaging casing wraps or flareups can occur.

Referring now to the drawing, as may be seen from FIG I. in the operation of the machine a supply of flattened tubing, such as cellulosic tubing 18 is intermittently withdrawn from a supply reel 14. The length of tubing [8 on the reel I4 may contain one or more successive rubber tube couplers I45 (FIG. 28) resultant from the manufacture of continuous reclable tubing.

From the reel I4 the flattened coupled tubing passes between sensing rollers 13 and [5, which actuate sensing devices hereinafter described in response to the passage of a coupler, splice or tubing and therebetween, to facilitate the removal of the coupler, and splicing the resultant ends of the tubing.

The flattened tubing I8 is expanded as by gaseous means and advanced through vertical guide rolls 25 to metering rolls 16 (FIG. 17) and the metered inflated tubing 20 is aligned centrally by two pairs of annularly grooved rolls I9 arranged in tandem, which guide the tubing onto hollow mandrel l2 and through a zone of shirring S.

The desired length of inflated casing is loosely shirred by any of a number of suitable shirring heads among which for example are those as shown in FIG. 15 and described in Matecki U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,097,393; 2,983,949 and 2,984,574 against a holdback carried by cooperatively yielding holdback carriage 30 slidably mounted on machine frame 10 In the machine illustrated in FIG. I three of sun h heads are mounted on the same shirring head carriage 2t which is arranged to be advanced and retracted parallel to mandrel I2. Carriage 2I IS slidably mounted on machine frame 10.

As shown in FIG. 17 the leading end of the hollow mandrel 12 has a tip 24 through which gaseous inflating means is sup- 

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a subsequent portion of the tubing fed from the supply source and immediately following the first portion of said tubing is inflated and shirred on the shirring mandrel and is initially compressed while the first shirred portion of tubing is subjected to the second stage of compression on said shirring mandrel, said initially compressed second portion is severed from said supply source and is thereafter subjected to the second stage of compression on said shirring mandrel while the final compression force is applied to said first shirred portion of tubing on said shirring mandrel, and another shirring cycle is started. 